Wine News

France takes away most medals in IWC competition

20 May 2008

France has come top of the medal table at this year’s International Wine Challenge, picking up a total of 696 in the world’s biggest blind tasting competition. The Old World country also grabbed the most Golds, with 60 of its wines being awarded the highest medal.

Australia was second, achieving 587 medals overall, including 48 Golds, while the Iberian countries came third – Spain for total medals at 381 and Portugal for Golds with 30.

England’s growing reputation as a wine-producing nation was confirmed by 22 medals, most of which were awarded for sparkling wines. Hush Heath Estate’s Balfour Brut Rosé 2004 received a Gold medal, while, six English fizzes got Silver. Three of these went to RidgeView Wine Estate, for its 2005 Merret Bloomsbury, Merret Cavendish and Merret Fitzrovia Rosé; two to Nyetimber, for its Blanc de Noirs Pinot Meunier 2003 and Premiere Cuvee Blanc de Blancs 2001; and the remaining one went to Camel Valley for its Cornwall White Pinot 2005.

Of the 15 Bronze medals given to English wines, there were triple awards for Camel Valley, Chapel Down and Sharpham Wines.

More than 40,000 bottles were assessed for the competition this year judged by over 370 winemakers, merchants and writers from around the world. In total, 267 wines merited Gold, 1,257 Silver and 2,140 Bronze. Trophy winners, picked from the top medal-winning wines, will be announced next month.

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Interviews and News for International Wine Challenge

Robert Joseph is a renowned wine expert and writer and the man responsible for launching the International Wine Challenge awards back in 1984. We talk to him about his latest book, his new wines and the emergence of new latitude wines.

Blair and Estelle Hunt own Bald Hills in Central Otago, New Zealand. Their 2005 Pinot Noir scooped Champion Red at the International Wine Challenge in 2007 attracting huge interest. We visited the vineyard to find out more.

Sam Harrop MW is a winemaker and an expert on all things wrong with wine. We talk to Sam about his analysis of wine faults at the International Wine Challenge, this week focusing on winemaking faults and volatile acidity.

Interviews and News for Australia

Phil Ryan is Chief Winemaker at Mount Pleasant in Hunter Valley and has been with parent company McWilliams for 41 years. Phil takes us through a vertical tasting of Semillons and explains how the wine's character changes as it ages.

The Granite Belt in Queensland, Australia is at 28 degrees latitude - outside the normal range for growing grapes. Chris met up with Leanne Gangemi of Ballandean winery to find out how they are able to successfully make good wine.

David Paxton is one of Australia's best known viticulturists and consultants. He founded Paxton Vineyards in McLaren Vale, South Australia in 1979. We ask him about the Australian drought and how water is being managed in McLaren Vale.

Interviews and News for England

Richard Selley is a Professor of Geology and a Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College, London. He is author of The Winelands of Britain and shares with us his knowledge on climate change in Britain relating to wine.

Leventhorpe Winery is a commercial vineyard and winery based in Leeds in the North of England. Owner George Bowden tells how he grows vines at the extreme edge of viticulture and why badgers, birds and hedgehogs are as much a hazard as frost and fungi.

This week is English Wine Week so we met up with Julia Trustram Eve, Marketing Manager for English Wine Producers, the Marketing Association for the English Wine Industry. We discuss issues including new Brussels legislation and global warming.

This week is English Wine Week so we met up with Julia Trustram Eve, Marketing Manager for English Wine Producers, the Marketing Association for the English Wine Industry. We discuss issues including new Brussels legislation and global warming.

aBecketts Vineyard in Wiltshire was established by Paul Langham and wife Lynn in 2001. With 6 acres under vine of 5 grape varieties they're producing some interesting styles of English wine. Paul tells us about growing grapes on the Salisbury Plain.

Mike Roberts is the owner of Ridgeview Estate, a top English sparkling wine producer. His wines consistently win international awards so what makes them so successful and able to compete with Champagne?

Stephen Skelton MW is an expert on English wine and author of the UK Vineyards Guide 2008. We find out about the book and what's changed on the UK wine scene since the last edition was published in 2001.

This week we preview The Wine Show with wine expert Isabelle Legeron and head of PR for the French Wines Experience, Chris Skyrme. The Wine Show is on from 26-29 October 2006 at the Islington Business Design Centre in London.

Interviews and News for Ridgeview Wine Estate

Mike Roberts is the owner of Ridgeview Estate, a top English sparkling wine producer. His wines consistently win international awards so what makes them so successful and able to compete with Champagne?